NOT JUST A GAME
by Saeshmea
Summary: It's 1997, and Minerva tells us how her friendship with Severus began  in 1980  in order for us to understand why she can't feel betrayed by him now. / Not a good summary, just read and tell me what you think ;
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is supposed to be the last fanfic I begin, but I've told this to me so many times that I don't even trust myself. **

**I wrote this first chapter months ago, but I left it aside because my wonderful beta reader, Yue Sai, told me, very wisely, that they were out of character and that it could be improved. She was right, totally right, I can now see it… because sometimes it's good to reread things after a long time, with your mind clear. Thank you, Yue Sai ^.^**

**I think it's better now, at least, I like it. But the real judges are you and I'd love to know what you think about it. **

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**Not just a game**

…

It's not his fault, it's mine... I can't feel betrayed because he warned me; he told me this was going to happen someday, but I just ignored him.

It was 1980, maybe 81… I know it was at the end of November, I remember it because it was a cold autumn and the fireplace of the teachers' common room was lit.

After I finished correcting some essays of my second year students, I raised my eyes and noticed everybody had already retired to their bedrooms except for us. He was sitting on an armchair near the fire and he seemed very concentrated playing a chess game on his own.

I didn't want to disturb him so I tried not to make any noise while I tided my things and put the chair back in its place; but when I was going to grab all my papers and books, one of them slip from my fingers and felt to the ground. In a crowded corridor, even the most acute ear wouldn't have heard that; but we were in an empty room of an old castle almost at midnight, so the crash of my book against the stone floor echoed like a cry in the mountains.

My eyes quickly searched him with the vain hope that he would have ignored my clumsiness, but he had stopped his game and was now staring at me. "I'm sorry" I apologized "I didn't mean to disturb you."

I think I heard him mutter something, but I didn't understand and then he went back to the chessboard. He definitely was a man of few words. I made my way to the door and before opening it, I turned back and looked at him. There was something on him that attracted me, maybe that aura of mystery around him, I don't know… I guess I spent a few seconds standing there just gazing at him because somehow he noticed and glanced back at me asking if there was anything wrong.

"No, no…" I shook my head trying to remember where I was and what I was doing there "I'm sorry. I was just thinking that… since I'm not tired yet either… maybe we could play together?"

"No." That was all he said, and then his eyes moved back to those little figures destroying each other. He used such a plain tone, that it sounded rude to me.

"There's no need to get upset. I was just saying that you would maybe enjoy your chess game a little more if you played with someone else."

"I don't think so." He replied.

"You don't know. Uh, never mind… I was just trying to be nice with you." I said.

"You don't need to." He replied still submerged in his game.

"That's what friends do." Yes, I'm sure that was what I said, because he then replied:

"I don't have friends." And he even said it without even look at me.

"I would like to be your friend." I insisted.

"You wouldn't." I was shocked by every answer of him; he didn't even try to be nice or polite, like if he didn't care.

"Why not?"

"Because I betray my friends" This time, he did look at me, I now understand he was trying to make sure I believed those words…

"Well, you won't have time to betray me during a chess game…" I said, sitting down on the armchair at the other side of the chessboard and making the pieces return to their place with a move of wand.

"Tell me, please, professor McGonagall, what do I have to say to make you go to your bed and leave me on my own as I wish to be?" He implored with his neutral tone of voice.

"Come on, professor Snape, we'll have fun. Let's do something, if you win, I leave you alone. Deal?"

"Deal."

… … …

We have played dozens of games since that night and I don't remember ever losing one… until yesterday.

...

TO BE CONTINUED…


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I know this is a complicated story... not because of itself but because I have it very clear on my mind and I am unable to express it in English as I wish. I am sorry for that... but since I decided to finish it, I'll keep posting the chapters anyway in case anybody decides to read. :)

** I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find...

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><p>Not just a game - 2<p>

We hadn't played a chess game together for years. It wasn't because we didn't like it, we adored that game, we just tried not to play against each other because our chess games were always intense until the last moves, when he would let me win.  
>During our very first matches I thought I was winning fairly but after see him play against Filius one afternoon I realized he was a good player, much better than me.<br>The first time we ever played together was during his first year teaching in the school, I was trying to be friendly and he was trying not to, so somehow we ended up making that stupid deal: if he won I would leave him alone, but if I won he would have to let me be his friend.  
>So letting me win was his way to tell me he liked spending time with me, and when I understood that, we replaced the chess board for a bottle of gilly water and a good conversation.<br>As I said, we hadn't played a chess game together for years, so when I went into his chambers that night of june 1997, after receiving his invitation, I was surprise to see the chess board set on the table.

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><p>The next move was his, but I knew exactly what he would do: he was going to kill my tower so I could kill his horse with my queen and win. I smiled and looked at him. There was a strange light on his eyes, he left go a sigh and gave the next order to his pieces.<br>"Alphil to D4, Severus said.  
>"What?" I couldn't hide my surprise... he had killed my queen making a checkmate on me, "you won!"<br>"Yes, I won," he said, "now you can leave." He didn't even look at me, he grabbed the chess board and stood up to put it back in its place.  
>"What? No!" I exclaimed, "I don't want to leave..."<br>"It's late," he said.  
>"You can't ask me to leave and not even give me an explanation," I said.<br>"Minerva, please, I thought you understood..." he said referring to that deal.  
>"Oh, please, that was years ago... You don't expect me to break a friendship of seventeen years because you won a stupid chess game, do you?"<br>"I don't have friends," he said quoting himself, "I betray them, and I don't want to betray you, now leave."  
>"Severus, please..." I tried but he opened the door for me and I left thinking we could maybe talked calmly on the morning. But if I had only known what was about to happened I wouldn't have left.<p>

TO BE CONTINUED...**  
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